The Advancing Science Conference Grant offers registration and lodging support to undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars attending the NOBCChE Annual Meeting. As part of the ASCG, recipients participate in various developmental sessions, as well as volunteer at the conference. Preference is given to those that present a poster or talk at the conference. Applications for the Advancing Science Conference Grant are due on Aug. 15, by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Please direct questions to nobcchestudentprograms@gmail.com.

Technical Programs is motivated this year to continue to bring our NOBCChE constituent's new and innovative sessions, symposia and research talks. Our ultimate goal for this year's National Conference is to create talks that showcase NOBCChE's young researchers, challenges scientific intellect and transform research ideas into innovation for future partnerships and collaborations.

We will be bringing together students and professionals to participate in exciting technical sessions and symposia which will included: ConneXions Poster Session Reception, Eminent Undergraduate Abstract Scholars, Chat and Chew Symposium, Biotechnology Symposium, and Research Pitch "Graduate Competition."

Click here submit an abstract for Technical Sessions, the Student or Professional Poster Session or The 2 minute "Research Pitch" or visit the conference section of www.nobcche.org.

Vanessa Allen Sutherland was nominated by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board in March of 2015 and confirmed by the Senate in August of 2015. Prior to her appointment Ms. Sutherland served as the Chief Counsel for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation, whose mission is to protect people and the environment from the risks associated with hazardous materials transportation.

By Angela K. Wilson via National Science FoundationAs summer begins, I draw your attention to several NSF solicitations and Dear Colleague Letters. Please note that the appropriate contact person for each of the programs is included within the documentation accessed via the links provided.

(1) Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI)

For the first time in a number of years, there is a solicitation for Phase 1 proposals for Centers for Chemical Innovation. Program The CCI Program supports research centers focused on major, long-term fundamental chemical research challenges, and CCI's that address these challenges will produce transformative research, lead to innovation, and attract broad scientific and public interest. Support for at least four Phase 1 CCI's is planned. CCI Phase 1 awards are for three years, and up to $600,000/year. Near the end of the three-year period, Phase 1 CCI's may compete to have a Phase 2 Center, with a possibility of renewal, pending availability of funds and submission of sufficient quality proposals. Phase 2 Center support can be up to $4,000,000/year for five years, totaling $20,000,000.

The deadline for the required preliminary proposals for the Phase 1 solicitation is Sept. 15, 2016, and invited full proposals for Phase 1 are due on March 14, 2017. READ MORE

Rochester Institute of TechnologyThe Future Faculty Career Exploration Program is a cornerstone of our faculty recruitment strategy. It is designed to increase the diversity of faculty at Rochester Institute of Technology. This innovative program is key to RIT's strategic plan and its diversity goals, as it attracts scholars nearing the end of their doctoral MFA or post-doc studies, as well as junior faculty, to visit RIT for a prospective look.

American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science needs scientists, engineers, mathematicians and physicians to assist K-12 STEM teachers in the Washington DC Metro Area, during the 2016-17 school year.

Details of the collaboration are worked out between the teacher and the volunteer, and may involve giving demonstrations, assisting in lab experiments, lecturing on special topics, assisting with homework, etc. The hours are flexible, and volunteers attend a one-day training in September before being assigned to schools. To see how volunteers are assisting their teachers, view the video clips at www.seniorscientist.org.

ScienceDailyIt's no secret that Calculus I is a major hurdle in the quest for a science degree. But, according to a new paper, the class is far more likely to discourage women than men from continuing on in their chosen field. The findings suggest that a major factor in women's decision to leave a STEM path after Calculus I isn't ability, but confidence in their ability.
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ScienceDavid G. Jensen writes: "You may not know it by name, but I'm sure you've heard of the Pareto principle. It's that turn-of-the-century formula by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who famously wrote that 20 percent of your effort will produce 80 percent of your results — or, more accurately, that there is a great imbalance between inputs and outputs and between causes and results. It's remarkable that 120 years later it still explains so much."
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ForbesAs of 2015, STEM occupations — those requiring a degree in science, technology, engineering, and math-related subjects — account for almost 8.6 million jobs, or 6.2 percent of overall employment in the U.S. The highest-paying roles among these occupations come with annual paychecks of nearly $150,000.
To determine which companies are currently hiring the most STEM professionals, Forbes turned to job search site Indeed, which reviewed all postings for open STEM jobs, as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET OnLine application.READ MORE

VoxScience is in big trouble. Or so we're told.
In the past several years, many scientists have become afflicted with a serious case of doubt — doubt in the very institution of science.
As reporters covering medicine, psychology, climate change and other areas of research, we wanted to understand this epidemic of doubt. So we sent scientists a survey asking this simple question: If you could change one thing about how science works today, what would it be and why?
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Harvard Business ReviewYou’ve just landed an interview for your dream job. If you're like most people, you'll spend hours, perhaps days, preparing for that interview. You'll research the company and industry, anticipate the questions you'll be asked, and rehearse the perfect answers. You've probably followed all the interviewing best practices: be yourself, dress appropriately, focus on your strengths, don't interrupt and prepare questions in advance.
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The New York TimesThe U.S. is producing more research scientists than academia can handle.
We have been told time and again that the United States needs more scientists, but when it comes to some of the most desirable science jobs — tenure-track professorships at universities, where much of the exciting work is done — there is such a surplus of Ph.D.s that in the most popular fields, like biomedicine, fewer than one in six has a chance of joining the club in the foreseeable future.READ MORE

TIMEAs of June 2016, the unemployment rate sits at 4.9 percent — roughly where it was ten years ago today. But in the decade since, much has changed. The Great Recession took the economy on a wild ride, making job seekers clutch their resumes close to their chests. The "Gig Economy" came into being, and many who were once employed in their career of choice found new jobs as drivers, errand runners and temps of all stripes. And of course the process of finding jobs changed radically, too. The dominance of big job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder is no more. Now the most sought-after gigs go to people who know people.
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